Draco's Companion

A/N- Okkkaaay. My vacationing is done for this summer, so I will be finishing this story. (Which is actually already finished, just not typed.) And then I will be beggining a new story. Yay!! So we have a few more chapters left! I hope everyone enjoys this!! Oh yea, I will start answering reveiws again, I know I haven't done that on a regular basis lately..
Enjoy!!
Shannon xoxox

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Horcruxes

"That I will tell you later." Dumbledore told them.

"Does it have anything to do with a Horcrux?" Draco asked wisely.

Dumbledore surveyed him over his glasses and then nodded. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, it does. That is not the reason I have asked you to join me tonight, though."

Draco looked unabashed. "If we are going to be injured by these Horcruxes then I don't know if I can permit Harry, or myself, to destroy them."

"Well that would be very foolish." Dumbledore said calmly.

Draco looked enraged. He opened his mouth to argue, but a knock on the door interrupted his attempt. Harry and Draco spun around and gazed at the door.

"Ahh yes." Said Dumbledore, clearly expecting visitors. "Enter."

Ron and Hermione entered the room quickly, shutting the door tight behind them.

"Good evening Professor" Hermione said happily, barely giving him a glance and looked down at the book clutched in her hands.

Ron nodded in Dumbledores direction and then looked over at Harry and Draco. "So, we get to go Horcrux hunting." He said, with an odd grin twisting his features.

"This should be exciting!" Hermione exclaimed, looking up from her book.

"And dangerous." Draco said scathingly, pointing to the burnt and withered hand that neither Ron nor Hermione had noticed.

Hermione gasped in surprise, and dropped her book onto the floor. Ron looked apalled.

"Sir?" Hermione asked, while bending over to pick up her precious book. As she was leaning down her locket slipped out of her robes. She stood back up and Dumbledore was fixated upon it resting against her chest. The locket gleamed brightly against her black robes. Dumbledores eyebrows knitted together, and the three boys followed his gaze.

"Miss. Granger, where did you get that locket?" He asked, pointing towards it with his unburnt.

Hermione looked down to where his finger was pointing. "Oh. It's nothing, Sirius gave it to me."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows as the boys were wondering exactly where this was going.

"Well what I mean is that I found it while cleaning his house. I asked him if I could keep it and he said yes.

"May I see it?" Dumbledore asked in a quiet voice.

"Sure" Hermione said, and reached behind her to unclasp it. Harry looked at Draco, who raised his left eyebrow in question.

They turned back as Hermione was giving it to Dumbledore. He held it in his hands and slowly turned it around and around, weighing it and staring at it.

"Did Sirius mention where he got this?" Dumbledore questioned.

"No, Sir. He didn't really pay attention to it." Hermione answered.

"I think, Miss. Granger, that you have been in possesion of a Horcrux since you took it from headquarters."

Hermione smiled. "What? No. Wouldn't it have made me evil or something?"

"I would have thought so." Dumbledore said, while staring down at it still. "Maybe it has different affects on different personalities. I think you, my dear, are too good at heart."

Draco snorted. Everyone turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry." He said quickly.

"Do you have something to share, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Well Sir," Draco began. He looked over at Harry for support, but he obviously wasn't going to get any, "I just don't see it working that way. I mean..Harry and I were in ranks for a few years, and things just aren't different because of personalities.."

Harry had to agree, although he said nothing.

"Any why is that?" Hermione asked, looking slightly put-out.

"Well..the man is pure evil. I just can't imagine it working like that."

"Then maybe it makes people with evil minds do evil things." Hermione said promptly.

Draco just shrugged, he obviously wasn't going to win.

"Well." Said Dumbledore. "There is a simple way of finding out if it is a real horcrux or not?"

"Ohh, how?" Hermione asked, somewhat breathless.

Dumbledore didn't answer, he walked to the other side of his office and lifted down a rub encrusted sword.

"Godric Gryffindors sword!" Hermione gasped in amazement.

Draco rolled his eyes and Harry was pretty sure he heard a quiet 'Puh-leeze' come out of Dracos mouth. Harry turned to him and matched Dracos skeptical look perfectly.

Dumbledore placed the locket on the middle of his desk and raised his sword. When he was poised to stab it, figures erupted from inside.

One was Dumbledore. No. It was someone who looked like Dumbledore. The other was a witch.

Dumbledores eyes widened in shock, and his arms faltered a bit.

"Hello Albus." the witch said. "Going to kill me too?" Dumbledore gasped, "No." he muttered. "Please don't do this Albus. Why don't you pick someone else? The Weasley boy-" Ron gasped "- Or that Granger witch." Hermione squealed. "That way we can always stay together Albus."

"No." Dumbledore yeled. He closed his eyes and thrust the sword point down into the locket. The figures instantly vanished and a large crack appeared on the front of the locket.

Dumbledore stood with the sword hanging limply in his left hand, breathing as though he had just ran miles.

"Sir?" Harry and Draco asked together, with wide eyes.

"Well Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore said breathlessly. "It was definately a Horcrux."

"Why did it mention Ron and I?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Because it would have rathered I kill you instead." Ron breathed in sharply. "Why couldn't it have pinpointed Potter or Malfoy?" Ron asked.

Harry threw him a scathing look.

"Because they didn't grow up with a loving family. Harrys family died when he was a baby, and Dracos parents although recent, are no longer with us. My mother was always one for keeping a loving family together, but rather hers than anyone elses."

Hermione was looking at Dumbledore questioningly, but didn't say anything. Harry was willing to bet that she, like him, was wondering who Dumbledore killed.

"Well, I'm exhausted." Dumbledore claimed. "Two Horcruxes are enough exercise for one day."

"The feather?" Draco asked quickly, ignoring the blatant hint that it was time to go.

"Professor Snape took care of that, at great personal risk I might add. He may be ill for the next few days. He is taking plently of potions to help him with his current situation."

The four students glanced nervously at each other.

"Your hand?" Harry asked.

"My own sacrifices. It happened during the destruction of the Gaunt ring." Dumbledore heaved a great sad sigh.

"Sir?" Hermione said, glancing from his hand to his face. She seemed to have understood something that the rest of them hadn't.

Dumbledore nodded, and Hermione gasped.

"It may prove to be helpful though, Miss. Granger."

"How?" She asked sadly, tears welling in her brown eyes.

"I fear I know what the last two Horcruxes are."

"What?" Hermione whispered, staring at Dumbledore.

"Ravenclaws Diadem, which I have reason to believe is inside this very castle. And something that will prove much harder to obtain."

"What is it?" Hermione asked him again.

"Voldemorts snake, Nagini." Dumbledore answered with a significant glance at Draco, who looked back at the man questioningly.

"I'll explain later. Come back here tommorow after dinner." Dumbledore said, falling back into his chair out of exhaustion.

"Thanks sir." The four students said, leaving the room.

Harry was under the distinct impression that he had just missed something of importance.

***

They were walking away from the gargoyle that gaurds Dumbledores office when Harry's curiousity got the best of him.

"Hermione."

Hermione looked over at him, tears still in her eyes.

"What?"

"May I ask what that was all about?"

"I think that is up to Professor Dumbledore to tell you." She said, her eyes shifting uncomfortably to Draco.

"Draco sighed. "Stop look at me like that." He snapped at her.

She looked away quickly.

They parted ways at the top of the marble staircase, Harry and Draco went down and Hermione and Ron went up a corridor to another flight of steps.

"He's dieing." Draco said suddenly.

"Who?" Harry asked, voice full of concern.

"Dumbledore. He's dieing. I'm serious." He said, seeing Harry about to smile.

"How?" Harry whispered.

"I don't know. I guess we will find out soon."